Two former Parramatta Eels players are accused of harbouring semi-automatic weapons and possessing more than half-a-million dollars in cash after dramatic arrests in Sydney's Centennial Park yesterday.

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“The tragedy is that for too long the party hierarchy has expected the rank and file to turn up, to pay up, to shut up. It's just not right," he said.

"We are letting ourselves down.”

The former prime minister spoke to branch presidents, state executives, members of parliament, and the prime minister.

“Respect is a two-way street, and it’s time the party hierarchy showed the respect to the membership that the membership has always given to them,” he said. “It’s just not right.”

Addressing the recent party in-fighting later this afternoon, Mr Abbott acknowledged there had been “dirty water”.

“There’s no doubt about that,” he said. “The important thing now is to be the best possible party and the strong possible government. Everyone (in the room) wants that.”

Mr Abbott’s appearances today come after Prime Minister Turnbull this morning hit back at his predecessor in a scathing News Corp column, declaring “this is a time for builders, not wreckers”.

Australians, he said, are “sick of politics, and sick of personalities. Frankly, so am I,” he wrote.

“I’m more determined than ever to govern for all 24 million Australians, to listen to their concerns, and address their needs. This is precisely what I have been doing, and it’s precisely what I will continue to do,” he wrote.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten described the feud between Mr Turnbull and Mr Abbott as the “biggest fight” in the nation, in a press conference today.

“Tomorrow in Brisbane Jeff Horn will take on Manny Pacquaio, and for a few hours that’ll be the biggest fight in the nation. Once that’s over it’ll be back to Abbott and Turnbull,” he said.